The Tamesis
In March, 20 hopeful designers gathered in Paris to present their work to the LVMH Prize expert committee. Now, after careful review by more than 80 industry veterans, that number has been whittled down to the final nine. The finalists for the 2026 LVMH Prize are: Colleen Allen by Colleen Allen from the United States; De Pino by Gabriel Figueiredo from France; Galib Gassanoff Agency from Georgia; Julie Kegels from Belgium; Lii by Zane Li from China; Petra Fagerström from Sweden; Ponte by Harry Pontefract from the United Kingdom; THEVXLEY, by Daniel del Valle Fernandez, Spain; and Yoshita 1967, by Anil Padia, Kenya.
“I am delighted to announce the nine finalists for the 2026 LVMH Prize,” Delphine Arnault, chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture and founder of the LVMH Prize, said in a statement. “This shortlist illustrates the impact of the prize, with designers from the United States, Europe, China, and, for the first time, Kenya. Each finalist has demonstrated a unique creative vision while offering a highly sophisticated interpretation of traditional craftsmanship.”
The award welcomes several new jury members in 2026. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Loewe, Camille Miceli of Emilio Pucci, Michael Rider of Celine and Pietro, chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton Beccari are all first-timers; they join Jonathan Anderson, Sarah Burton, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Nicolas Ghesquière, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Nigo, Phoebe Philo, Pharrell Williams, Jean-Paul Claverie, Sidney Toledano and Arnault. “I am extremely grateful to our expert committee for their commitment to emerging talent, [and] I warmly congratulate the finalists and look forward to welcoming them to the LVMH Prize finals, which will be held at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. “Arnault added.
The finals will take place on September 4, when the jury will select the winners of the LVMH Prize, the Karl Lagerfeld Prize and the Savoir-Faire Prize. The 2025 winners are Soshiotsuki, Steve O Smith and Torishéju.
